Try A Little Tenderness
by Tartan Faeries
Summary: Ron finds a letter from Viktor to Hermione. Sparks fly. R/H and a bit of G/H. R/R!


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It Christmas at Hogwarts and Ron and Hermione have their first falling out. Harry and Ginny are over but over the holidays they begin to piece their friendship back together. See what you think! Another Luce TF fic. I need a new genre… romance is boring me now!

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Try a Little Tenderness.

Hermione sighed and lay back in Rons arms. The common room fire was roaring, Harry and Seamus were absorbed in wizard chess, Ginny was listening to Lavender Brown chatting incessantly in her ear, giggling shrilly every minute or so. She was trying not to look at Harry and he had given up all attempts at ignoring her. Hermione couldn't help noticing the long lingering looks he threw at her every five minutes or so. Ginny she could tell felt awful about finishing the whole thing but she was right. Ginny wasn't Cho and she always had a niggling doubt that Harry still thought about her, No matter how Hermione and Ron had tried to convince her Ginny wouldn't listen. What was the point in being with Harry if she couldn't be entirely content? There was no arguing with that. Hermione looked up into Ron's face as he rested his chin on her head. 

"Hello," she whispered.

"Hi," he whispered back and kissed her on the cheek. Hermione blushed and squeezed even closer to him. They sat like that for a long time. Hermione yawned and stood up as she did a piece of parchment fell out of her pocket that she failed to notice. Ron did however and picked it up and began to read. Hermione looked down and saw what he was doing. 

"Ron!" she cried and tried to grab it but he had finished reading already and threw it at her feet with a look of disgust on his face. He mouthed wordlessly at her and stormed out of the room towards the dorms. Harry, Ginny and Seamus all looked up to see what was going on. Hermione had tears in her eyes. Ginny walked over to her friend to see what was wrong. Harry headed for the boy's dorm. Seamus decided that was his cue to leave so he and Lavender hurriedly left the room for a "walk". 

Harry found Ron lying on his bed glaring up at the ceiling. Harry stood awkwardly then after moments thought asked.

"What was it Ron?" (Although he had a very good idea) 

"Oh, nothing but a LETTER from good old VIKKI." Spat Ron bitterly, sitting up and glaring at the curtains at the foot of his bed. He crossed his arms and fought against the burning ball in his chest that was telling him to throw a chair, cry or scream. Or all three. He had never felt this strongly in his life. Harry bit his lip and wondered what to say and silently counted the odds of Ron throwing something heavy at his head if he said something wrong, like the fact he had know for a month or so now that Hermione and Krum were in touch but just as friends. Harry stood there in silence. His mind wandered slightly. To Ginny. He had been so stupid. His feelings for Cho were nothing now compared to Ginny but Ginny couldn't see that. He sighed. You don't know what you've got till it's gone, Hermione said sagely in his mind. He frowned and then remembered where he was. 

"Come on Ron, it can't have been that bad. Hermione is mad about you!" said Harry looking into his friend's face. Ron grunted. 

"Yeah well. So I thought," he muttered, "but love from Viktor. LOVE from Viktor. And the way he was bloody carrying on you'd think they'd been writing for months…which they probably have." He added bitterly. Harry cleared his throat. Honest is the best policy. "Ah, Ron maybe you don't want to hear this right now, but Hermione didn't tell you that she was keeping in touch with Krum as friends because…" 

"YOU KNEW?" exclaimed Ron his eyes blazing.

"BECAUSE she knew exactly how you would react. Like a frenzied chicken. Which is what you're acting like right now," added Harry firmly. "She values Krum as a friend, same as me and same as you used to be before… well everything. She really didn't want to hurt you Ron. I think she'd have rather done anything else before she hurt you." He waited for Ron's reaction. He contemplated what Harry had just said. He really did love Hermione. Like nothing else. But he was angry. But was he angry enough to let it ruin everything? He needed to speak to her in person. He jumped of the bed and headed for the common room, Harry at his heels.

In the common room Hermione sat on an armchair, her puffy eyes staring into the fire. Ginny sat watching her, her mind not really on anything. Except Harry. Harry. She was really beginning to have a one-track mind. Everything he had ever done or said to her, from his first clumsy, haphazard kiss and their day in Hogsmeade circled round her mind. She frowned at herself and forced herself to change the subject. She opened her mouth then in burst Ron. Harry gave her an uncomfortable look and gestured towards the door. She nodded and stood up. "Ah see ya." She mumbled and waved a hand. She left the room with Harry hurriedly. Ron looked at Hermione, who's eyes immediately filled again.

"I'm so sorry Ron." She said in a strangled tone.

"Look Hermione I…" began Ron but stopped abruptly as he saw her start to cry again. He hesitated then sat on the arm of the chair beside her and pt an arm round her shoulder.

"I didn't mean to…. I... I just wanted him as a friend and I never intended anything to happen and nothing did Ron! You've got to believe me cos…cos if I lose you then I…I…" she broke down again. Ron's angry determination melted. He stroked her hair.

"Hermione you're not going to lose me. I'm right here. I suppose I'm just hurt you didn't tell me because I trust you. I really do. And what's more, I…" the words stuck in his throat. "I think I love you. I know I love you." He took both her hands in his and kneeled in front of her.

"I'm sorry Hermione."

"Oh Ron!" she sobbed and fell onto his shoulder. He buried his head into her hair and they stood like that for what seemed like forever. Ron tilted her face up to his, wiped away her tears and kissed her very gently. Hermione returned his kiss and neither of them noticed Harry and Ginny returning hand in hand.

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I might write a sequel of what happened with Harry and Ginny. Did it suck? None of the characters or setting are mine they all belong to JK Rowling. We are not worthy! R/R please!!


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